JMF Pathways Sydney May 2022 Immersion Week

In May 2022 four of our talented JMF scholarship holders from regional NSW and QLD traveled to Sydney for a pathways experience which included intensive training, trials with sports high schools, friendly fixtures, and more.

The scholarship holders included Miley Shipp (13 years) and Haylee Ann Mooney (12 years) from Dubbo, NSW and Colin Walsh (12 years) and Robert Hostalek (11 years) from Mareeba, QLD.

The pathways experience is an initiative of the JMF Scholarships & Pathways program that provides talented young Indigenous athletes from regional communities an insight into what it would be like to live, study and train in Sydney.

Throughout the week, the players had the opportunity to meet with mentors, elite coaches, schools and experienced players.

This included meeting JMF scholarship holders Tobias Patterson Gregory and Shadeene Evans and JMF Scholarship Mentor Jada Whyman.

17 year old Kowanyama/Kurtijar/Kokoberra man, Tobias is from Mareeba, QLD and is currently studying at Westfields Sports High School and playing for Waverley Old Boys FC.

20 year old Marra woman Shadeene Evans, JMF’s inaugural scholarship holder, is originally from Borroloola, NT. Shadeene debuted for Sydney FC, was named Vice Captain for the Young Matildas, won a full scholarship to University of New South Wales and played for Adelaide United in the A League Women 2021/22 season.

Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta woman Jada is a Matilda and Sydney FC A-League Women goalkeeper, and joined the JMF team in 2021.

Thank you to the schools, clubs and staff that supported our JMF Pathways Sydney Immersion Week, including:

• Westfields Sports High School, Matraville Sports High School and Endeavour Sports High School for hosting our scholarship holders for trials.
• Football NSW and Valentines Sports Park for providing a venue for our intensive training session.
• Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club for involving our scholarship holders in a training session.
• The Young Matildas for inviting our players to watch their friendly match against Metro TSP Boys.
• JMF Coaches from Dubbo and Kuranda who accompanied our scholarship holders to Sydney and our Moriarty Foundation Sydney staff for coordinating a fantastic trip.